It's A Gift
by queenfluffernutter
Summary: This was a writing prompt from leastauklet. Tried to weave the things in without making it obvious. hope I did just that! Thank you again!


**DISCLAIMER: I, of course, do not own these characters, only playing with them for a bit. This was a challenge from leastauklet. Hope you enjoy!**

Jack looked down at the autopsy bay. "Owen! We have a Weevil sighting just outside of town – do you think that you could hold down the fort?"

The medic looked up from where he was sawing into something that wasn't even remotely humanoid. "Yeah, unless Sparky the wonder goo here decides to get up and dance, I should be able to handle it." He went back to what he was doing without further conversation.

"Tosh! I need you on surveillance. Ianto, Gwen – with me – NOW!" There was no denying that Jack Harkness was good at barking out orders.

They followed him out to the SUV and Jack made for the driver's side. Ianto grabbed his wrist a little more forcefully than Jack realized he could. "Sir, maybe we should flip for driving rights?"

Jack looked from Ianto to Gwen, who was pointedly trying not to look at him."Are you saying my driving is bad?" He almost managed to sound hurt.

Gwen only gave him 'the look' and pulled a coin from her pocket. "Heads – Ianto; Tails – Jack," she declared before tossing it in the air.

"I always get tails..." Jack grumbled, kicking at the pavement like a spoiled child.

Ianto shot him a look that made Jack grin as Gwen announced the result. "Heads." Jack thought he also heard her sigh. He handed the keys over to the Welshman, and dragged his feet to the passenger side.

"Oi, watch that, Harkness. You _could_ have ended up in the back seat." Gwen reprimanded.

Jack stuck his tongue out at her and it earned him a slap on the arm from Gwen and a muffled laugh from Ianto.

"All right! Now it _is_ the back for you!" She opened the door and pushed him in, not letting him catch his footing enough to wedge himself in the door. He landed with an ungraceful thunk, his greatcoat buttons hitting the door frame as she shoved it in after him. He watched with a scowl as Gwen Cooper took her place in the passenger seat – his seat! He was trying not to pout though; trying not to come across as a spoiled child in the backseat as his parents drove them cross-country on a trip to see all the roadside attractions there were to be seen.

"I can work with the back seat," with that one comment, Jack was back to being Jack. "Tosh, tell me what's going on."

"Still the same as when you left. No extra heat signatures." She replied quickly. There was the sound of a giggle before she added, "Still routine Weevil activity. Though Owen says if there is anything unusual, bring it back to him. He's left you a container in the boot of the SUV."

"Thanks, Tosh. If you see anything, alert us?" Jack smiled, realizing she couldn't see him, but hoping she could hear it in his voice.

"Don't I always?" She was smiling her demure smile back, he could tell.

Their conversation ended and Jack leaned between the front seats to talk to the others there. "Can we get ice cream when we get there, Mom?" Gwen gave him a death glare as Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Don't dare call me 'Daddy', Jack," Ianto warned, turning where the GPS indicated.

"Or what?" Jack was feeling impish. "You'll turn the car around?"

"Aren't you supposed to be in a seatbelt?" Ianto shot back.

"Why? I can go through the windshield and be fine." He shrugged and leaned back. They were no fun today.

"We're coming up to the location now, everyone ready?" Ianto asked, putting the Range Rover in park and undoing his own seatbelt.

"Got my Weevil Spray and a full clip," Gwen checked aloud.

"Here's an extra." The Welshman pressed it into her hand. She never remembered to bring more than she would need.

"Ready." The others got out as Jack opened his own door. Or tried to. He could yank on the handle, but nothing happened. He sighed and tried to get the others' attention, but they were too far away. He gave up and climbed over the front seat, which was not easy fully decked out, and followed.

"Where were you?" Ianto whispered loudly.

Jack pointed back at the SUV as he adjusted his coat. "I was stuck in the back seat."

Gwen let a laugh bubble out. The two men looked at her. "Child Safety Lock."

Jack let his stance go slack. "And why do we even have that?"

"I dunno – but Owen was playing with it – must have left it on. Sorry, Jack," she was trying to keep from laughing out loud when the shape went past her in a blur, almost knocking her over.

"That's no Weevil I have ever seen," Ianto raised an eyebrow at the others.

"Tosh." Gwen called into her comm. "This isn't Weevils. Can you scan the CCTV for identification?"

"Yeah," she answered. "Owen and I were watching and saw it. He's never seen anything like it either. Says he wants one here to dissect though..."

"He would." Jack grumbled as the same object went past him. "Only we have to catch it first." He was on his guard.

"Okay, guys, it's coming back. Ianto, it's going to buzz you this time. See if you can grab it." Tosh watched as the man bent down and appeared to catch something that wasn't really there. "Did you get it?"

Ianto smiled. "I did, Tosh. We'll be heading back as soon as we get it packed up." Jack and Gwen looked over at him to see the dark mass he held. It seemed to be almost nuzzling him.

"What is that?" Jack was cautious as he approached Ianto. "And how do you know it's okay to touch it?"

The younger man smiled at him. "We had one in the archives of Torchwood One. It's called a shadowcat. Harmless. And Owen won't be cutting this up."

"How could he? It isn't even solid." Gwen was confused.

"Pet it. I assure you it feels quite solid." Ianto held it out to them. They both touched it, though Jack all but shivered when his hand met it's solid/no-solid form.

"Let's get it into the container and get it back then. Owen can figure out what to do with it," he was already on his way back to the SUV.

Gwen shrugged and followed him, leaving Ianto to protest. "I'm not giving Schrödinger to Owen."

Jack turned. "What did you just call it?" He had his confused face on.

"Schrödinger." Ianto looked at him like he was crazy. "What else do you call a cat you're not sure is there or not?"

"You're lucky you're cute, Jones." He opened the driver side door. "And I get to drive back."

Ianto handed over the keys and climbed in the back, making sure to set the door so that it was no longer on child lock. He reached back for the container that Owen had supplied, noting with a chuckle that it had air holes. He placed the shadowcat inside and shut the lid.

They drove back in silence, mostly because it was hard to talk when you were convinced you would be losing your life at any moment and you didn't want something stupid being your last words. Jack swung the vehicle into it's normal spot and Gwen all but leapt out. They entered the Hub through the tourist office and went down to greet Owen in Tosh.

"We brought you something," Ianto set the opaque box on the conference room table, where the other two were eating takeaway that had been ordered in their absence.

Owen contemplated the box. "Can't it wait? I'm eating here."

"It can wait as long as you want." Ianto laughed at his little joke.

Jack and Gwen sat, taking helpings of the food that Tosh pushed towards them as Ianto went to wash his hands.


End file.
